The Edgewater

This may have actually been those worst hotel experience I’ve ever had. And they do not care about your complaints they have no intention on apologizing or making any accommodations when asked. Here’s just a few “highlights” from my stay in July 2022: - Check in is inside a store next to the hotel so good luck trying to check in if the store is closed - The smaller rooms have a musty smell - The WiFi doesn’t work in the rooms - I found someone else’s hair pin in the bed sheets - They lock the door at night. Fine. But then they locked us INSIDE THE HOTEL. We had to get police to come let us out. This is the *only* door in and out of the hotel. Imagine if there was a fire?! - The same door was later jammed. After now being stuck in the hotel for the second time, my friend (staying in another room) called the emergency line. The women that answered *immediately* started yelling asking if we were the loud group from the night before. This is before even asking why we would be calling the emergency line. She demanded we meet her at the door so she could “show us how to use it.” You need to pull the door toward you and then press the “push” lever. She was so mad that we called she reprimanded all of us for bothering her about the door. There was no sign or anything explaining their trick to open the door. She then said that “room one” was complaining about us all night. My friends WERE in room one. She then threatened to kick us all out of the hotel because she “doesn’t care where we sleep” tonight - No guests allowed so sorry if you’re visit friends or are visiting with others staying at a hotel. They are watching the halls on camera and will call you if you bring in a guest. - I stayed in one of the rooms by “the patio.” Looks great in photos but they have the patio seating directly, and I mean within inches, of the windows to the room. So if you want any sunlight it will be with other hotel patrons staring through your windows. - That same patio is not open during its regular posted hours - The rooms toward the back of the hotel also back up to the trash bins for the surrounding restaurant. At around 730am EVERY MORNING the trash trucks dump the bins and it sounds like explosions and literally rattled the windows. When I brought this up to the front desk, they act as if they’ve never heard of this issue before despite other reviews complaining of the same thing. Instead of an apology I was told, verbatim, “I don’t know what you want us to do about it.” Maybe invest in double pane windows? Offer a discount when the room occupants can’t sleep after 730am for over $300/night? Maybe make those rooms your lobby so people actually have a front desk to go to? I could go on.. The video I have of how loud the sounds are actually sound like the building is being torn down. I had to record it because no one would believe how loud it actually was. I posted a video to YouTube if you want to search for it to hear for yourself. - The AC in the rooms is loud

We just spent two wonderful days at the Edgewater Hotel. This perfectly located boutique hotel has been newly renovated, and it shows. The baths and rooms are clean and nicely decorated, the hallway is lined with fun historic pictures of Catalina, there is a nice kitchen for guests, and two lounge areas. After a snafu with our shower, our incredibly gracious host pulled out the key to one of the suites, and without hesitation told us to move and enjoy! Brittani is an incredible, friendly host, and hails from a family that has lived on the island for more than 100 years. She had great tips for things to do, places to eat, even things on menus. It was a fabulous, memorable stay!

While the hotel itself is well located right on the waterfront, charming, has friendly and helpful staff and is pleasantly appointed (as you should expect for over $400 a night*), unfortunately, they need to have a word with the City sanitation dept. and their friends - the local crows. We had the room at the back with a small extra room (hard to find in Avalon). It began at about 7am, when a 'murder' of crows showed up and began to squawk, no doubt in delighted anticipation of the festival of garbage which was about to begin… “caw, caw, caaaaaw” (repeat many times). Then, a mini garbage truck, struggling--struggling so hard to get that garbage (there were a lot of bottles): “meep, meep, meeeeep… more, more, a little more, almost, OK, stop!”. Why not collect garbage on a day when fewer tourists are around? Or even just start at 8 am instead of 7? Howabout the hotel ask the sanitation people to start an hour later? After the alley escapade, they were collecting along the waterfront – why not start there first? Now, my daughter and I are Canadian, so 9C/48F is understandable when you leave your house on a brisk March morning but it’s not a great temperature for a hotel room. It’s been cold in California lately and Avalon is an ocean town. There was no heat whatsoever and also and very notably, no extra blankets. We once stayed in the Scottish highlands in the summer, where it gets cold like this at night but they have down comforters. And as a landlord, I have to maintain a constant temperature of at least 20C/68F for tenants, but not apparently in California. Finally, we found something that California has yet to regulate! So, two stars off: one for noise and another for no heat, oh, and one more – *for charging $50 more than what *********** said it would be (they’re partially to blame as this has happened before with them).

While the hotel itself is well located, charming, has friendly staff and is pleasantly appointed (as you should expect for over $400 a night*), unfortunately, they need to have a word with the City sanitation dept. and their friends - the local crows. Here’s a thought: why not collect the residential garbage from the alley at the rear of the hotel on a slow day for tourism? Or at least, start an hour or so later at 8 am? How about the hotel owner bring this up with them? (they’re only on site during the day it seems) It began at about 7am, when a 'murder' of crows showed up and began to squawk, no doubt in delighted anticipation of the festival of garbage which was about to begin… “caw, caw, caaaaaw” (repeat 20 times). Then, the little garbage truck, struggling so manfully, struggling, struggling… to get that garbage (there were a lot of bottles) into the Japanese mini garbage truck: “meep, meep, meeeeep… more Joe, more, a little more, almost, OK, stop!”. Swell. Now, my daughter and I are Canadian, so 9C/48F is understandable when you leave your house on a brisk March morning in Sudbury while you wait for your car to warm up. However, this is not a great temperature for a hotel room. It’s been cold in California lately and Avalon is an ocean town. There was no heat whatsoever and also and very notably, no extra blankets. As a landlord, I have to keep my tenants nice and toasty in winter and maintain a constant temperature of at least 20C/68F, but apparently not in California. Interesting. Finally, we found something that California has yet to thoroughly regulate! So, in summary, aside from the noise and the freezing cold, it was great - but you’ll never get into the Michelin Guide like this. Two stars off: one for noise and another for no heat, oh, and one more – *for charging an extra $50 more than what *********** said it would be in total.

Our booked rate included breakfast vouchers. When I asked about it, I was told that new managers took over and no longer honored it. And the lady was quite rude about it--when I told her it was included she just gave me the evil eye and didn't speak. Room was nice enough. When I looked it up online, it still advertised breakfast included.